Garry Benckeser, 63

February 14, 2013

Garry Benckeser, age 63 of Oconto, died Feb. 11, 2013, at the Callaway District Hospital in Callaway. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Community Building in Oconto with Pastor Dale Coates officiating. Visitation will be Friday from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. at Govier Brothers Mortuary. Interment will be at the Oconto Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Oconto American Legion Post.
Garry was born Dec. 8, 1949, to Clifford and Mary Barron Benckeser. He was five minutes younger than his twin brother, Larry. Garry lived and worked his entire life in Central Nebraska. He was raised on the farm southeast of Oconto on Highway 40.
Garry attended rural school district 245 until its closure. He then attended Oconto school and graduated with the class of 1968. He played football, basketball, and ran in track.
While growing up he was a member of the Woodriver Beavers 4-H club and also became a junior leader. He was a life time member of the United Methodist Church, also a member of Legion Post 250 in Oconto.
He attended Chadron State College before enlisting in the Army in 1969, serving a tour in Vietnam. He was honorably discharged in 1971, and returned to Oconto.
Garry worked in construction all his life and worked at Paulson Inc. in Cozad for many years. He worked odd jobs for Hendrickson Construction until his health started to fail. Garry and his wife ran the Blue Jean Café in Oconto for a few years. He enjoyed watching and caring for his three step-children while they had the café.
Garry loved to fish and hunt and spent times fishing with family and friends at every lake you can name. He had the stories to go along with the fish, also had the fish fries for everyone to enjoy.
He traveled to Arizona and stayed the winter in 2011 with Marlene and Ted. He would spend his days looking out the window to watch people going by and he enjoyed all the sports he could watch on TV with his close little friend Shorty - football, basketball, baseball. He was a loyal Yankee fan. He loved to call Polly when they played the Tigers.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Clifford and Mary Benckeser; brother, Larry; brothers-in-law, Ronald Bain and Lawrence Mackey.
He leaves to mourn, his sisters Pauline Ransley of Livonia, Mich., Marlene and Ted Boysen of Eddyville; step-children, nephews and nieces and a host of friends.